Go ahead; enjoy the fruits of your labor…but not until week two!
Once you’ve reached your target weight on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan, it’s time to help your body readjust to your own food selections, cooking, and meal preparation. And let’s face it—you need time to adjust too! You’ll do just that during the Medifast Transition phase.
During the Transition phase, you will gradually increase how many calories you consume each day over several weeks. In addition, you’ll expand your diet by introducing more fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and higher-carbohydrate vegetables in addition to a variety of foods that you can prepare yourself.
Generally speaking, the amount of time you spend in the Transition phase is determined by how much weight you have lost. For example:
- If you lost less than 50 lbs, allow 8 weeks to Transition.
- If you lost 50 – 100 lbs, allow 12 weeks to Transition.
- If you lost over 100 lbs, allow 16 weeks to Transition.
What to Expect During Transition
In the Transition phase, calories are added to your diet in a progressive and systematic manner. This allows your body time to adjust to news level of calories and carbohydrates. Transition also helps you regulate healthy portion sizes. Below is an idea of what you can expect during Transition.
Week 1
Beginning in Week 1, you will add an extra serving of vegetables to your Medifast 5 & 1 Plan. You can include corn, peas, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts as well as all those listed on the Medifast Green Options list.
Week 2
Starting in Week 2, you can add two servings of whole fruit to your meal plan (eg, an apple or orange, or one cup of berries). During this time, you will cut back to four Medifast Meals and one Lean & Green Meal each day.
Week 3
In addition to the changes you make in the first two weeks of Transition, you’ll now add one serving of low-fat dairy to your daily plan.
Week 4 and beyond
Remember that how long this phase of Transition lasts depends on how much weight you’ve lost. It could be from one to three months. During this time, you’ll reduce your Medifast Meals to just three each day and continue to enjoy your added vegetables, whole fruit, low-fat dairy, plus one serving of whole grain and an additional 4 – 6 ounces of lean protein.
This chart below shows an 8-week transition to an ultimate goal of 1,550 calories a day for weight maintenance. Your maintenance needs may differ depending on your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level. For more details, you can download a free copy of Medifast Transition & Maintenance Guide.
Sample Transition Chart
| Week | Target # of Calories | Medifast Meals | Lean & Green Meal | Additions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 850 – 1050 | 5 | 1 | 1 cup (2 servings) of your favorite vegetables (any kind) |
| 2 | 900 – 1150 | 4 | 1 | In addition to your 1 cup of your favorite vegetables, add: 2 medium-sized pieces of fruit OR 1 cup of cubed fruit or berries (2 servings)* |
| 3 | 1000 – 1300 | 4 | 1 | In addition to 1 cup of your favorite vegetables and 2 medium-sized pieces of fruit OR 1 cup of cubed fruit or berries*, add: 1 cup of low-fat or fat-free dairy (1 serving) |
| 4-16 | 1100 – 1550 | 3 | 1 | In addition to 1 cup of your favorite vegetables and 2 medium-sized pieces of fruit OR 1 cup of cubed fruit or berries* and 1 cup of low-fat or fat-free dairy, add: 4 to 6 oz serving of lean meat (1 serving)** AND 1 serving of whole grain*** |
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